Bhavsar
Encyclopedia
The Bhavasar are an ethnic group in India. They are from the traditional Kshatriya
varna in Hinduism.
. Tradition holds the community was formed by Bhavsingh and Sarsingh, two young princes from north-western India. The princes prayed to the goddess Hinglaj
(kuldevi, clan goddess of Bhavsars) for protection from Parashuram, who had vowed to destroy all Kshatriyas. The shrine where Bhavsingh and Sarsingh had prayed to the goddess is located near Karachi in present-day Pakistan. The Bhavsar samaj has negotiated with the Pakistani government for regular pilgrimage to Hinglaj.
Bhavsars are known for their simple, tolerant and integrating lifestyle. This community has been engaged in trade and merchandise activities for generations and with time they have also made a mark in higher education.
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
varna in Hinduism.
Origin and legends
The Bhavasar's legendary origin dates back to the SaurashtraSaurashtra
Saurashtra is a region of western India, located on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is a peninsula also called Kathiawar after the Kathi Darbar who ruled part of the region once. The Peninsula is shared with the Kachchh region which occupies the north, Saurashtra or Sorath forming the...
. Tradition holds the community was formed by Bhavsingh and Sarsingh, two young princes from north-western India. The princes prayed to the goddess Hinglaj
Hinglaj
Hinglaj is an important Hindu pilgrimage place in Balochistan, Pakistan and Kuldevi of many Kshatriya and other Hindu Communities of India. It is situated in Balochistan province about 250 km north of Karachi.-Mythological Origin:...
(kuldevi, clan goddess of Bhavsars) for protection from Parashuram, who had vowed to destroy all Kshatriyas. The shrine where Bhavsingh and Sarsingh had prayed to the goddess is located near Karachi in present-day Pakistan. The Bhavsar samaj has negotiated with the Pakistani government for regular pilgrimage to Hinglaj.
Culture and demographics
Bhavsars are found mostly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. All have adapted to their local culture and traditions to varying degrees. However, Gujarat and Maharashtra are the primary regions from where the more recent migrations have occurred. Though Bhavsars are Kshatriya, most of Gujarati Bhavsars follow Vaishnavism. Few others follow Jainism. The Maharashtrian Bhavsars have migrated to South India since medieval period. They have settled in the South for several generations. However, they have maintained their Maharashtrian cultural ties to this date.Bhavsars are known for their simple, tolerant and integrating lifestyle. This community has been engaged in trade and merchandise activities for generations and with time they have also made a mark in higher education.
Diet
Traditionally, diet of Gujarati Bhavsars has been vegetarian while liquor is strictly prohibited. Maharashtrian Bhavsars has been non vegetarian.Languages
Bhavsars have adopted regional languages. In Gujrat, Bhavsar speak Gujrati; in Maharashtra, Marathi; in Karnataka, Kannada.Surnames
Some families from the Bhavsar community apply Bhavsar as their last name, for the purpose of identity. However, the Bhavsars from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have surnames in the Maharashtian tradition.Bhavsar Samaj
Bhavsars have their traditional caste council known as the Bhavsar samaj or Bhavasar Kshatriya samaj.The main function of the jati panchayat is to settle inter-family feud, quarrels, etc. The office bearers of these panchayats are elected.Notables
- Chunilal Asharam Bhavsar "Pujya Mota"Pujya motaPujya Shree Mota , or Chunilal Asharam Bhavsar, was a spiritual leader who established ashrams in Nadiad and Surat in Gujarat, India. He founded the Hari Om Ashram, also known as the Maun Mandir, near Nadiad....
, a Hindu saint (1898–1976) - Raj BhavsarRaj BhavsarRaj Bhavsar is an American artistic gymnast of Indian descent. He was a member of the 2001 and 2003 World Champion U.S. team. He earned a bronze medal as a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, becoming the third Indian-American ever to medal at the Olympics, after Mohini Bhardwaj and Alexi Grewal...
, (1980-) : Olympic 2008 bronze medal winner - ShashikalaShashikalaShashikala Jawalkar-Saigal , much better known as Shashikala, is an Indian actress.-Early years:Shashikala was born as one among six siblings in Solapur, Maharashtra in a well-to-do Marathi-speaking Jawalkar family...
Jawalkar, Bollywood actress
Further reading
- Advanced communities among the Kshatriyas of Malwa and Western India - Shankar Patwardhan, Arvind Vyas Paper no. AS056/2007 submitted to Anthropological Survey Of India